A 1939 ZENITH and new directions.

[DRBILL]

I lost interest in doing much more to my sound system. I have it like I wanted, and I can't imagine anything that would make it much better. I listen to it every night and marvel. It is satisfying and makes me proud of PWK's acheivements and of my own meager technical skills.

So, what about the bench and those expensive instruments and tools? The answer fell out of the sky while I was visiting an old friend in Arkansas who has a serious blood disorder. He had his Dad's 1939 Zenith from the family farm back in Kentucky and asked me if I could make it play again. What could I say? With trepidation, I took it to the bench and tried to remember what I did when I had a similar bench at a radio shop while in high school. I started taking it apart and it all began to look familiar. New tubes, new electrolytics, new poly caps to replace the out-of-spec paper/wax caps. The real challenge was alignment. The third try was perfect. I replaced the badly damaged dynamic speaker with a new output transformer, choke and PM speaker.

I fixed the scratches in the case and applied several coats of wax, buffed out the bronze, and it looked like it came out of the showroom. But the sound was amazing! It had that "chesty" full sound that I remembered as a kid from our own household Zenith. The wide bandpass could fool you into thinking it was FM (bought at the price of reduced selectivity, but a fair trade).

My old buddy was delighted when I drove to Arkansas to deliver it and set it up. And I was hooked! I'm now on my third restoration --a floor model '37 Zenith. And I can't remember when I have had so much fun. There are very few 60+ year old devices that can be resurrected so easily and so inexpensively. I like having my hands on history.

DRBILL

[Daddy Dee]

DrBill,

Very cool Bill. Thanks for posting.

[DRBILL]

Thanks, DD. It isn't as amusing as the story about the Aggie and the Tacks!

And there is still the "band" amps and my adult kids' Klipsch speakers and tube amps to distract me. As a brother presbyter, you know how hard it is to form to word "NO" in your mouth.

Frankly, I'm a little frightened of idleness. It invites the interest of the grim reaper! But that's my story and I'm stuck with it. Boredom with the gift of this amazing universe HAS to be the unforgivable sin.

Come by the next time you are down this way.

Bill

[Daddy Dee]

Thanks. I hope it's not too long before I get to show up in your neighborhood.

[seti]

Thanks, DD.  It isn't as amusing as the story about the Aggie and the Tacks!

And there is still the "band" amps and my adult kids' Klipsch speakers and tube amps to distract me.  As a brother presbyter, you know how hard it is to form to word "NO" in your mouth.

Frankly, I'm a little frightened of idleness.  It invites the interest of the grim reaper!  But that's my story and I'm stuck with it.  Boredom with the gift of this amazing  universe HAS to be the unforgivable sin.

Come by the next time you are down this way.

Bill 

Do you have any pics of it ? Sounds like fun.

Or is it in these links?

http://www.radiophile.com/12s371.htm ?

http://www.radiophile.com/5s319.htm ?

http://www.radioblvd.com/ZenithPhoto.htm

[Arky]

DRBILL

I don't know you but I suspect you have earned the period of "idleness". My father retired relatively early then realized his brain needed to go back to work. I wish I had half of his work ethic.

JT

[IB Slammin]

Waaay cool posts in all aspects.

as Dee would say.......

Bless,

tc

[Jay481985]

I think I am going to need to try and hear older type speakers